


riding in pink cadillacs

by TheGodWith5Yen



Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: Dating, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friendship/Love, Jokes, Kissing, Sweet, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:28:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26001919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGodWith5Yen/pseuds/TheGodWith5Yen
Summary: She could feel as the vespa began to slow down and bank towards the side and she pressed her face in between Jim’s shoulder blades. He always smelled so nice—a mixture of sweat that Claire found she didn’t mind all too much, cinnamon, and deodorant that Jim tried to mask the sweat smell with. Claire liked how Jim smelled. Matter of fact, she just liked Jim. He was sweet and dorky and smart and looked at Claire in a way that just made her insides explode into a thousand tiny fireworks, colorful and happy, but in a way that she could still talk to him and be friends with him. Normal. Just Claire. Even if their relationship had begun in a not-so-normal way—goblins and all—it was easy with Jim.The vespa stopped and Jim said, “And here we are!” In that lavish way of his—voice loud and ringing as he threw out an arm—that made Claire want to smile. She pulled her face away from his back and glanced around. They were in front of a storefront and it took Claire a minute to process what it was.
Relationships: Jim Lake Jr./Claire Nuñez
Comments: 2
Kudos: 66





	riding in pink cadillacs

**Author's Note:**

> I love them I think they're so sweet! Also I find their dynamic of 'punk prep' and 'prep jock' extremely cute. So here we are!! Hope you guys enjoy :3 OH also this is set sometime in season 3!!!
> 
> chapter tilte from "Taxi" by Nova Twins

The wind caused her hair to whip around her face and never before had Claire been so thankful that she had chopped off most of her hair months ago. Sure, her mom had had a major freakout when she saw the choppiness of Claire’s hair and had immediately made a hair appointment with the lady she always went to for her hair, but it was worth it. On that matter, Claire didn’t even understand why her mom freaked out so much when she always wore  _ her  _ hair short, but she supposed moms are just like that. She would always run her hands through Claire’s long black hair and smile and say “mija, your hair is just so beautiful” and that may have been a factor Claire had taken into consideration in favor of cutting off most of her hair. 

But— 

Short hair, wind, vespas? They went great together. Even if Claire hadn’t taken vespas into consideration when she did cut her hair. It still worked.

She could feel as the vespa began to slow down and bank towards the side and she pressed her face in between Jim’s shoulder blades. He always smelled so nice—a mixture of sweat that Claire found she didn’t mind all too much, cinnamon, and deodorant that Jim tried to mask the sweat smell with. Claire liked how Jim smelled. Matter of fact, she just  _ liked  _ Jim. He was sweet and dorky and smart and looked at Claire in a way that just made her insides explode into a thousand tiny fireworks, colorful and happy, but in a way that she could still talk to him and be friends with him. Normal. Just Claire. Even if their relationship had begun in a not-so-normal way—goblins and all—it was easy with Jim. 

The vespa stopped and Jim said, “And here we are!” In that lavish way of his—voice loud and ringing as he threw out an arm—that made Claire want to smile. She pulled her face away from his back and glanced around. They were in front of a storefront and it took Claire a minute to process what it was. 

“The record store! Oh, I’ve been wanting to come, but  _ you know what _ has been keeping me busy! Especially since the Nova Twins new album dropped. As great as spotify is, I  _ need  _ that album.” Claire accepted Jim’s hand as she climbed off the vespa and stepped onto the sidewalk. She smiled at him and he smiled back. It made her chest tingle. 

" I thought there wasn’t a record yet for ‘Who Are the Girls?’” Jim said as he linked their arms, smiling at Claire as she leaned in close to him. A lock of his dark hair was stuck to his forehead with sweat and Claire wanted to kiss his cheek so bad. She hadn’t even told him the name for the Nova Twins new album and she knew that he didn’t really like punk or alternative rock music like she did. He had found out for himself because he knew how much  _ she  _ liked it. There was no way Claire could ever get another boyfriend other than Jim, none whatsoever, not with the standards he set. Cool secret life? Check. Tall? Check. Sweet? Check. Remembers the name of albums she doesn’t even mention by name? Check. 

Claire hip checked him as they walked forward, Jim opening the door to the record store and keeping it open with his foot as they walked in together, still linked together. “Nope! No record.  _ But _ , they should be selling the CD here, which is still a plus for me. Even if my mom won’t let me blast it in the car. Or in my room when she’s home. Blegh.” Jim laughed, his shoulders shaking up and down and Claire giggled into her hand. 

The employee, a tall young woman with short pink hair Claire couldn’t help but pine for because  _ jeez _ did she wish she could get away with more than a strand of dyed hair (though now it was white and  _ that _ had been a little hard to explain to her parents who had said she wasn’t allowed to dye her hair again after they had flipped over her coming back from a two-day sleepover at Mary’s with the one lock of blue hair), called out a greeting before turning back to the magazine she was reading. 

“I was thinking about getting something. Maybe you could recommend something for me.” Jim said with a smile as he nudged her shoulder. Claire grinned and they moved through the aisles, flipping through records and CDs. Jim pulled out records with cover art he found interesting or for a few bands he  _ did  _ know and Claire set aside a few that she thought he would enjoy. “Blink gave me an old record player, it’s  _ crispy _ ,” Jim explained in a low voice as he leaned down to talk into her ear, his breath tickling her ear as he did. Claire snorted and elbowed him in the gut, making Jim laugh and clutch at his stomach and pretending like he had actually gotten hurt. 

“Really? I’ve seen Chompsky hit you harder than that?” Claire rolled her eyes, but kissed at his cheek anyways because he  _ was _ cute. And because the date was nice. They never had a lot of time for just them so it was nice to have this. Joking and kissing and just knowing each other. Claire smiled up at Jim, whose cheeks were still flushed red and his lips pulled into a dopey grin. “C’mon. Let’s pay for these and go get some milkshakes!”

Jim gathered up the small pile they had collected. “Chyeah! Fries and vanilla shakes. A perfect date combination.” 

“Fries?” Claire scrunched up her nose. “With a milkshake?”

Jim gasped and clutched a hand to his heart. “Claire Maria Nuñez!  _ How _ could you ever doubt the sublime combination of a salty and savoury fry with a sweet and delicious cold milkshake? I am appalled!” He grinned and shook his head. 

“I’m sorry, Mister Chef.” Claire rolled her eyes, but she was still grinning. They divvied out what they were buying, Claire was paying for two records for Jim while Jim insisted he had to buy the Nova Twins CD for her along with another record that Claire had picked out for him. As they stepped out into the sidewalk with a thank you to the pink haired girl, Claire handed Jim his records and he handed her the CD. “You didn’t have to, you know.”

Jim shrugged as he began to walk backwards, Claire holding onto her hand to help guide him and make sure he didn’t bump into anything or anyone. “Maybe, but I wanted to. I haven't given you much, you know, boyfriend presents.” He raised up his hands and shook them and Claire nudged him slightly to the side to avoid a runaway corgi that was happily making its way towards them. 

Claire rolled her eyes. “Jim, you saved my baby brother from the Dark Lands. That’s a pretty big boyfriend present if you ask me. Buuut… the Nova Twins album is  _ deeply _ appreciated and may be a close second.” And Jim grinned widely as Claire grinned back at him. He opened his mouth to say something, only to trip over the end of the sidewalk, landing hard on his back. Claire gasped and moved to help him up, but Jim just blinked up and the sky and laughed, loud and long enough that Claire started laughing along with him. 

“Imagine!” Jim said in between his laughter. “If- if that’s what took out the Trollhunter! A side- a sidewalk!” Which only made Claire laugh harder along with him and sit down onto the edge of the sidewalk. Jim had sat up too, his knees brushing hers, and they laughed for a while longer until they both calmed down and were just grinning at each other. Jim was so handsome when he was happy and smiling like this. He was always handsome, but it made Claire happy to not see the weight of the world so apparent on his shoulders. It was more and more common these days, so she cherished this moment with him as they got up, holding hands and walking close together as they spoke about normal things, the cool wind nothing against the warmth of them together. 

**Author's Note:**

> Claire would totally be into Nova Twins. Also 'Who Are the Girls?' Is the only thing I've been listening to for days. Check out 'Who Are the Girls?' lol Thanks for reading!!! Leave a kudos and a comment If you enjoyed!!!


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